Considering huge number of contributions to the nation’s gross domestic product and non-oil exports, Ogun State former governor, Gbenga Daniel, has requested Governor Dapo Abiodun to shift government’s intervention and focus to Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone (FTZ), saying the immediate past government’s neglect of the zone had done more harm than good to the production, processing and distribution of finished products coming from the zone.
Daniel, whose his administration in the state between 2003 and 2011 secured licences and partnered Nigerian Exports Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) on the actualisation of the three free trade zones to the state, namely, Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone in Igbesa, Ogun West; Kajola Transportation Free Trade Zone in Ifo, Ogun Central, and Olokola Free Trade Zone in Waterside, Ogun East, appealed to Governor Abiodun to improve on the state and country’s economy through attraction of more investors to Ogun-Guangdong FTZ, as well as resuscitation of nearly moribund Olokola and Kajola FTZs.
The former governor, who chronicled his achievements on industrialisation at the Heritage Reception organised for Governor Abiodun at Awujale Palace in Ijebu-Ode on Sunday, noted that the current government in the state must not misplace priorities on possible investments and supports in all these FTZs, saying the state government must place premium on the FTZs for improved gross domestic products, non oil exports in order to create more employments, wealth and foreign earnings.
Daniel said, “Apart from the Flowergate Industrial Estate which we established at the Sagamu Interchange, (where Armed Robbers used to waylay motorists to rob, we thank God it is clearly the fastest growing Industrial Estate in Nigeria with the likes of Nestles and The International Breweries probably the biggest Brewery in the world).
“Our administration secured the three different Licences for three Free Trade Zones in each of the three Senatorial Districts: The Ogun Guangdong Free Trade in Ogun West is up and running but the Access Road is of immediate priority. This is only Free Trade Zone that is operational among the three created by us, Ogun state government must do everything humanly possible to sustain it and place premium on it.
“The Kajola Transportation Free Trade Zones is at the heart of Egbaland within Ifo Local Government. The overall plan is to locate the Final Railway terminal from Iddo in Lagos to Kajola. This will open the entire zone to massive industrialisation and massive warehousing complexes, which clearly, will create a new generation of Entrepreneurs for local landowners and grow the real estate. This is worth looking at, Your Excellency.
“The story of the third Free Trade Zone, The Olokola Free Trade zone with three major projects some of which might have been lost is quite familiar to you as a major player in the Oil and Gas Industry. That our people are quite disappointed at the sloppy manner in which the last administration handle this life changing project especially the loss of the Dangote Refinery, the biggest single refinery in the world to our neighbour with a potential of employing most of our hitherto jobless youths, to say the list, is painful.
“Whereas it is too late to reverse the location of Dangote Refinery, The Deep Sea Port Project, The Fertiliser project and of course the OKLNG Project, again the biggest of its kind in the world can still be pursued with vigour in collaboration with the Federal Government and the Private sector.
“Please note that before we left, we already had an approval to proceed with the Port from the Nigerian Ports Authority. It was in anticipation of the take-off of these projects that we were encouraged to establish the Gateway Industrial & Petrochemical Institute known as GIPI in Oni, within Ogun Waterside LG.”
